Paris1972-Versailles2003

So let me bring you “home” OK not the city I live or had lived but the one I work on the outskirts in a castle ruins from 1504! Yes!!! However, other than the usual wonderful monumental things to see here in my beloved Vannes or Gwened in the Breton language, there is history that I like.

I have told many many posts on Vannes and deservently so, however I feel this important historical spot deserves more , besides it is now my favorite hangout with my dog Rex!

In addition a great walkers, bicycle trails into the Pointe des émigrés, bordering all the Gulf of Morbihan area around Vannes starting from the Parc du Golfe to Conleau peninsula along the promenade Paul Chapel. This is a very nice nature walk and you see plenty of people here including dog walkers like me! But it has more.

The Pointe des Émigrés is a natural site in Vannes. In the 18C, Pointe des Émigrés was called Pointe Kérero. The name of Pointe des Émigrés recalls the execution of the Émigrés or immigrant Bretons who came to fight the French revolution from England and executed at Vannes in 1795 after the unsuccessful landing of Quiberon.

A sad story to finish as the above name or the Pointe des émigrés is due to the atrocities of the French revolution ,when in 1795 , 748 immigrants who came to fight for the King were taken prisioners after the failed expedition of Quiberon, and shot to death in various parts of the Morbihan. The head of the expedition was executed on July 28 1795 in Vannes on the site of the Garenne today.  374 others were shot around town with many at the site of the Ermitage.  As a symbolic souvenir of this event this tip of land was renamed the Pointe des Émigrés. The remains of these 748 are now resting at the Chartreuse in Auray, (see post) very near me.

For the nature lovers nowdays, the Pointe des Emigrés with the banks of the Vincin river  forms a peri-urban protected area of more than 70 hectares. A former agricultural hotspot, this area has been protected by the Conservatoire de l’Espace Littoral et des Rivages Lacustres since 1986. It is characterized by a succession of original facies (marshes, Atlantic moors, pine forests and salt meadows) sheltering a rich avifauna (heron ash, snipe; etc). More in French on the webpage of the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Pointe des Emigrés: Conservatoire du Littoral on the Pointe des Emigrés

This protected green space of about 30 hectares (including 10 hectares of marshes), is located in the district of Conleau, along the Marle river. It rises to 11 meters. With the banks of the Vincin, a neighboring site located on the other side of the Conleau peninsula, it forms a protected area of 70 hectares. The Pointe des Émigrés is crisscrossed by several hiking trails totaling approximately 3 kms. It is made up of several landscapes: marshes, moorlands, pine forests, salt meadows, mudflats, meadows and there are many species of birds: gray heron, common snipe, etc. The characteristic plants of the site are St. John’s Wort, musk mallow, marsh buttercup, wild orchids, rush, willow, etc.

Here is the webpage of the Morbihan tourist office in English on the Pointe des Emigrés: Tourist office Morbihan 56 on the Pointe des Emigrés

Now for those who think walking is best like me ,to see places, nature or cities once you get there the best way possible often a car and/or a plane for these; let me show you a walker’s paradise here.

Departure from the Vannes Tourist Office at Le Port by the marina. Along the port, on the right bank, walk along the old houses from the 17C, with the half-timbered floors and the 19C bandstand. At the pont de Kérino bridge, cross the pedestrian crossing and continue opposite, direction Pointe des Émigrés. Walk past the Multiplast shipyard, then follow the coastal path, can’t missed water is on your left hand side.

You can take the dike which gives you access to the Conleau peninsula, which you will walk around. The path passes under the pines then bypasses the point, passes in front of the beach, the pier for the Ïle d’Arz  isle ,and the seawater basin or pool (see post). You can see the boats, anchored in the channel, without tidal constraint. You take the dike in the opposite direction, but not taken this one. Turn left after the bridge as soon as you find the coastal path also called Chemin de Bernus. It follows the meanders of Vincin river, in a rural and green landscape, with steep banks.

At the end of a cove, take the path that goes right and ends near the houses of district of Cliscouët. Walk along the football field. The path leads to rue de Ty-Coët, then chemin des Aubépines which goes down to rue François-de-Surville. Turn right until Avenue du Maréchal-Juin. Take the rue des Salines opposite, pass the Maison de la Nature and the municipal greenhouses gardens. After the dike, take the coastal path on the right then at the first crossroads on the left, the Chemin des Salines. Follow through the woods along the houses towards Parc du Golfe then La Rabine by the same path as on your way in or start. Not difficult and beautiful seas of nature and water, Rex love it!!

And there ,hope you enjoy the walk and a bit of history which often by victors is not usually told, but I know it. The Pointe des Emigrés is a nice park now good for the whole family.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

Well rounding up my latest escapades to the north of my Bretagne ,in beautiful Perros Guirec of the Côtes d’Armor dept 22 , I come to what I think is the best beach there: Plage Trestraou!

I have written on Perros Guirec in several posts in my blog, and on the other beach but this one wins it over for us. Let me tell you a bit more on the Plage Trestraou beach.

Between the pointe de Beg-Ar-Storloch and Pointe de Pors Nevez, along Boulevard Joseph Le Bihan where there are many shops. Large sandy beach stretching over 1.4 km, Trestraou offers a superb panorama of the Archipelago of 7 Islands. Ideal for swimming, this beach, supervised in season, offers many leisure activities for all, Beach Club, Nautical Center,(see post) Surf Club ,etc. Come stroll along its promenade and taste the pleasures of Trestraou such as the Casino, Center de Thalasso, Cinema, Minigolf, shops, restaurants, hotels (see post), the works!

The bay of Trestraou was at the origin of the tourist development of Perros-Guirec. In the 19C, sea baths were recognized for their healing qualities and became fashionable. With the arrival of the train in Lannion in 1881 and the construction of the first hotel by Joseph le Bihan in 1886 (see post),the seaside resorts took off. From 1884, bath cabins were built and superb villas were created between 1893 and 1905; prestigious hotels are located there. In 1970, the construction of the convention center, discreet and integrated into the seafront, gave new impetus to the beach. Admire the superb villas built on the micro-cliff of the Pointe de Beg Ar Storloch.

From the beach, you can also see the Seven Islands archipelago, which today houses a nature and bird sanctuary. To protect this exceptional biodiversity, it is forbidden to land on the islands, except Île aux Moines. However, you can embark on a cruise departing from Trestraou beach, which will allow you to observe birds (see post).

The beach front is full of activities even in these days and it seems all the places were full including the hotel book solid! They did allowed our dog in the rooms!!We did a lot of walking around and the boys enjoy the beach as well as the Armor Navigation cruise. We had a ball walking our dog Rex he wanted to go in the water! but this was off for dogs here as they only allowed in off season November to April.

We did went to lunch twice at the wonderful Chez Edouard facing the Trestraou beach right on an outdoor terrace. Even Rex was so much good here we love him ,as he is so calm and well behave. The manager of the restaurant brought him a bowl of water!!!

The former Les Régates is now Chez Edouard with new owners, and even thus we had not try the former, the current one is to be recommended. We had mussels roquefort, pizzas orientales (because they had chorizos), and burgers with a bottle of Les Chanteraires red 2018 of Saumur-Champigny, the Loire’s best ;we buy for the house and glad we found it here! We took the wonderful café gourmand because you get the coffee and five sweets sampler of their desserts, which is fine for the size and the taste. All for 22€ per person which at this location is a super bargain.

The views are fantastic and the ambiance very relax French fashion with lots of families! and a kiddie playground on the beach right up front of us. The views to your left are wonderful with the promontory hills and the gare maritime or cruise boat terminal as well as beach cabins and water boat activities! All in one place, simply the best and we will be back! Plage Trestraou!

And of course, at the beach what is best than Ice Cream! and we love it!!! And so lucky was calling for as just around the corner of the BW hotel and facing the beach at Trestraou there is the wonderful Le Glacier des Sept Ïles or the seven island ice cream parlor. We dig in from anywhere from two to five scoops of different flavor just to cool off lol! the place is nice and friendly and the ice cream superbe!!

Let me give you some webpages to help you plan your trip here and well worth it are

My fav plages tv on the beach at Trestraou: Plages tv on Trestraou beach

The tourist office of Perros Guirec on Plage Trestraou: Tourist office of Perros Guirec on Trestraou beach

And a treat from the Association of neighbors of plage Trestraou in French with all that is going on, to see and do at Trestraou beach: Assoc of neighbors of Trestraou district

And the anecdote for this wonderful Perros Guirec is that one of my best historical personalities from the world of arts and paintings to be exact used this town as one of his base so here is a bit of Maurice Denis!

Several portraits painted by the great Maurice Denis. Like the Regatta at Perros-Guirec ,1892, oil on canvas, now at the Quimper Museum of Fine Arts (see post). Regattas at Perros-Guirec, views from the west jetty,1897, at the Maurice Denis Departmental Museum “Le Prieuré” at Saint-Germain-en-Laye (see post). Bathers at Perros-Guirec from around 1912,now at the   Petit-Palais Museum, Paris (see post). The forgiveness of Notre-Dame de la Clarté in Perros-Guirec by 1926, manor of Kerazan, Astor foundation, and Itron Varia Sklerder or Notre-Dame de la Clarté oil on canvas, 1931, now at the Musée des beaux-arts de Morlaix (see post).

Hope you enjoy the tour of this wonderful place call Perros Guirec, and do come on in folks! And remember , happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

And why not tell you about hotels at Perros Guirec! There are plenty of accomodation and of all types. However, for me the Grand Hotel was it and now the Best Western Bains et Spas is looking good. Let me tell you briefly of the hotels Grand and Best Western of Perros Guirec!

Needless, but repeat anyway, have come here often and have several posts in my blog on Perros Guirec. This is the latest escapades to a nice beach Plage Trestraou! I will tell you about the beach later ok.

The Grand Hotel, in plage Trestraou, with an Art Deco architecture typical of the seaside style of the 1920s. Many remarkable villas built at the end of the 19C and the beginning of the 20C, of various architectural inspirations, often including elements in pink granite extracted from the quarries of Ploumanac’h, and fancy elements such as art deco details, half-timberings in the Anglo-Norman style, turrets, bow windows, etc.

Could not stay as currently undergoing complete renovation. At the Grand Hotel, once the metal structure surrounding the front façade and the two gables were completed, demolition work could begin. The destruction of the floors and the rear facade was carried out gradually, with a cut, piece by piece.

The next new Grand Hotel Kasino will house 59 rooms, a restaurant and the casino. The opening is announced in the fall of 2021. There is a complex behind it which includes the construction of a 2,500 m2 spa with a restaurant and, a 4-star hotel with 91 rooms.

There are panels in front of the shell of the old hotel telling you about the history of it here.  It tells us the first hotel was build here in 1886 with 20 rooms under the name Hôtel Le Bihan. The Grand Hotel de Trestraou was built then late 19C and the town developed a following which included Maurice Denis! Later, Joseph Le Bihan was convince by the writer Ernest Renan to built a hotel name Hôtel de la Plage which later became the Grand Hôtel . In the meantime, the Hôtel de la Plage is enlarge from 1888; and by 1914 another building is built next to it. In 1948, the Grand Hôtel is taken over by new owners who hold it for 47 years! In 1955, the Hotel is again renovated. Until our days renovation and new owners by the groupe Kasino de Bretagne.

The official page of the Grand Hotel is here: Grand Hotel at Perros Guirec

We had the entire family, my 3 sons, my Dad, and our dog Rex and me; so we needed two rooms facing the plage Trestraou . Oh yes, this was the Best Western les Bains et Spa Hotel. A suite junior with king size bedding, 26 m2, and a Prestige room with king size bedding 26 m2. Right on Plage Trestraou with beautiful views of the beach and promontory as well as islands! Gorgeous. Will need to make you dream of the interior.

We parked for free very conveniently across from the hotel on Avenue du Casino between Rue de Rohellou and bd Thalassa. This is a minute from the beach on foot!

All around the Best Western Bains et Spa are numerous restaurants with nice terraces even towards the beach and a great ice cream place we love it. The lunch here was sublime both days.

We were particularly seduced by the decoration of the rooms paying homage to the seaside resorts of the 1950s. The Best Western Bains et Spa hotel has 49 elegant and modern rooms including Standard, Superior, Prestige, Junior and Family suites. They all have a refined decoration, in soft colors, conducive to rest and relaxation.

For more comfort, the Prestige rooms and the Junior suites offer a lounge area while the Superior rooms offer a terrace. Open Bar Soft Drink: in a lounge area, snacks and soft drinks are offered free of charge from 14h to 02h. Guests can enjoy a wellness center with spa, hot tub and hammam at an additional cost. Guests also have access to a gym and massages can be booked at an additional cost.

Walkers can continue their walk by taking the chemin du sentier des douaniers (see post) to discover the unique setting of the côte de granit rose and the 7 îles.

The official webpage of the BW hotel is here: BW les Bains et Spa Hotel Perros Guirec

The chain Best Western on the Bains et Spa hotel at Perros Guirec in English: Best Western on hotel Bains et Spa at Perros Guirec

And there you two wonderful properties facing a wonderful beach at Trestraou in Perros Guirec. We will return, worth it , recommended. Enjoy it

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!